Door-latch.



G. W. STIFF.

DOOR LATGH.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 6. 1913.

1,302,873. Patented May 6, 1919.

GILBERT WgSTIFF, 0F OVID, MICHIGAN.

noon-Lauren.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed November 6, 1913. Serial No. 799,598.

ToaZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, GILBERT W. S'rIrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ovid, in thecounty of Clinton and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Latches, of which the following is atspecification.

This invention relates to latches especially door latches of that type in which the latch bar is retained within the casing when the door is opened, and will be automatically thrown outwardly beyond the casing when the door is closed thereby reducing the wear ordinarily exerted on the latch bar and keeper, by the contacting of these two parts to a minimum.

An object of the invention is to engage a suitable element with the latch bar so as to cause the latter to be locked within the easing when the door knob is operated and automatically released as soon as thedoor is closed.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings-and pointed out in the claim forming a partof this specification. i i

Referring to the drawings: i j

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a latch embodying my invention and illustrating the application thereof, one of the casing plates being removedt-o disclose details, the latch bar being shownin a locked position in the keeper;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the latch bar locked within the casing and the dispositions of the elements associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a detail enlarged sectional view 1 of the trip bolt showing its connection to i the retaining link. a

In the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention, a keeper 5 is provided which is secured in a door casing in the ordinary manner, and has one of the ends secured to said casing through the medium of a screw 6, the screw having an enlarged head as shown to advantage in Fig. 1 so as to lie in a plane beyond that of the keeper 5.

My improved door latch in the present instance comprises a pair of plates only one of which is shown in the drawings at 7, the other plate, not shown, being an ordinary clamp or cover plate common to door latches now in use. The plate 7 is provided with an opening in which is mounted an ordinary door knob hub 8 which is in engagement with the latch bolt retracting member 9 one end 10 of which is preferably bent at right angles to the body, a midway portion 11 thereof being of semicylindrical configura tlon conforming to the contour of the hub 8 while the extreme end thereof is slightly enlarged as indicated at 12 and provided with a studlS. The plate 7 has arranged therein adjacent the end 14 thereof a horizontally disposed angle-iron15 one face of which is in engagement with the inner face of the end 14, and has arranged in close proximity thereto an integrally formedlug or projection 16. The angle-iron 15 is adapted for engagement with the one end of an elastic element 17 the elastic element in the present instance comprising an ordinary flat spring whichhas the opposite end thereof engaged with the right-angled portion 10 of the bar retracting member 9.

Arranged on the innerface of the plate 7 adjacent the hub 8 is an integrally formed stud 18 which has pivotallymounted thereon a latch bar retaining link 19, said link in the present instance comprisin an ordinary metal strap which has one end 20 thereof bent at rightangles to the body soas to provide an engaging finger the purpose of which will subsequently appear. The opposite end which is in pivotal engagement with the stud 18 is preferably enlarged and has one end thereof bifurcated as indicated at.

21, one end 22 of the trip-rod 23 being engaged between the branches of the bifurcation as shown to advantage in Fig. 3 and pivotally engagedtherewith. The opposite end of the trip-rod 23 extends through the openingintheend 14: of the plate 7 and is adapted for engagement, at times, with the head of the screw 6. The link member 19 has a portion directly above the finger 20 beveled as indicated at 24: as shown to advantage by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, to provide an inclined recess to receive one end of the spring 25 therein, the 0pposite end of said sprin being flexed so as to normally lie in paral elismwith the opposite end thereof and engaged beneath the bolt 23.

Mounted for movement in the casing and having engagement with the plate 7 and through the end 14 thereof is a latch bar or bolt 26 which is preferably of an oblong 'contion in the casing.

figuration having an elongated longitudinally extending portion 27 thereof cut out ably engaged with a projection 30 which is carried by the plate 7, said projection being in engagement with one end, of; thecoil,

spring 31 the opposite end of said spring being, inengagement with a conical lug-32 which is formed on the latch bar 26- and ex: tends into the cut-out portion 27. The oblong, end of the latch member 26;.is provided with oppositely disposed notches on recesses 33 which are adapted for engagement with the finger 20 of the link 19.- A pair of notches 33 beingv formed in said oblong end so that the latch bar maybe turned from one side to theother, for engagement with the finger 20,; if so desired for. any reason.

Inoperation we will assume that the latch bar 26 is arranged within the casing. as shown to advantage in Fig. 2. In Which instance the finger 20 of the link519is in engagement with one of the latches 33 and one end of the bolt 23 extends beyond the plane I of the end 14, the member 9 being thrown. at an angle so as to place the elastic element 17 under tension through the medium of the right-angled end 10, the coil spring 31 likewise being under tension in view of the limited distance between the projection 30 and the one end of the cut-out portion 27- With which the spring is engaged. As soon as the door is thrown in a closed position the projecting end of the trip-bolt 23 will contact withthe head of the screw 6 causing the. bolt to be retracted in the casing thereby disengaging the, finger 20-from the recess, 33 allowing the spring 31 to expand so as to cause the advancing of the latch. bar 26 through the end 14 of the casing, at the same time allowing the member 9 to take its normal position relieving the elastic element 17 from the strain which is exerted thereon when the latch bar 26 is ina retracted posi- Whenitis desired to Copies of this patent may be obtained for open the door, pressure is exerted on the door knob in the ordinary manner causing the hub 8 to be operated so as to cause the latch bar 26 to be retracted in the casing as shown in Fig. 2, thereby causing the finger 20 to be automatically engaged in one of the notches 33 and incidentally tensioning the elastic element 17 and advancing the trip bolt 23 through the end 14 of the casing.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment; of my invention and that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion andarrangement of the parts may be made. within the. scope of the appended claim and withoutsacrificing any of theadvantages of my invention.

Having thus fully, described my invention, what ;I claim as new-and desire to-secure byLetters Patent is A door latch comprising a casing, a spring pressed. bolt having a no-tchtherein and normally projecting. from. said casing, a sliding trip rod parallel with said bolt, an angle lever pivoted to the casing between the trip lever and the bolt, said angle lever having one arm, pivotal-1y connected to the trip lever and the-other arm normally cxtending. parallel to said bolt, the free end of said parallel arm being bent downwardly to form acatch for engagement with the, notch in-the bolt when said boltv is 1'etracted,;said parallel. arm having an, inclined recess therein directlyabove saidxcatch, a spring havingone endpositioned in said recess to prevent lateral movementof the spring in relation to the angle lever, the opposite end of said spring-being flexed to lie .in parallelism W-ith;its opposite end and engaged by the under side of saidtrip lever, andmeans for retracting the bolt.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of; two witnesses.

GILBERT W; STIFF.

WVitnesses PAISLEY W. HOLLAND, MARTIN STIFF.

five cents each, ,by-ad.d.res sing the fGommissionerof Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

